Coonabarabran closes out first half of 2012 AORC
The sixth round of the 2012 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) has come to a close in Coonabarabran, marking the halfway point of the national twelve-round Series.
More than 200 riders took to three natural terrain sprint tracks at the Goanna Tracks Motocross and Enduro Complex in New South Wales for a second day of intense competition in powdery conditions.
Daniel Milner (Ballard’s Yamaha Off-Road) continued his domination of the E1 Class, finishing the five-heat day ahead of Josh Green (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube) and Ben Burrell (Motorex KTM Off-Road).
The E2 Class once again went to Matt Phillips (Ballard’s Yamaha Off-Road) who clocked the fastest time in a close battle with Glenn Kearney (Husqvarna Racing Team) and Jarrod Bewley (Active 8 Yamaha Yamalube).
In the E3 Class, Toby Price (Motorex KTM Off-Road) made it a perfect six-for-six, taking the top position once again with a commanding three minute lead over rivals Stefan Merriman (Ballard’s Yamaha Off-Road) and Scott Keegan (Motorex Force Husaberg).
Price also picked up Outright honours for the day, putting the fastest time on the board in front of Milner, Phillips, Kearney and Green.
The Veterans Class trophy was picked up by class leader Damian Smith (Husqvarna), who was followed in by Craig Wease (Yamaha) and Andrew Gillam (KTM), while the Masters Class was a carbon copy of Round 5 with Trent Lean (Suzuki MX1 Australia) once again beating out Ian Jenner (Husaberg) and Robert Day (Yamaha).
The Womens Class saw the winning Yamaha trio from Round 5 back on the podium in a different arrangement, with Jess Gardiner locking in the top step in front of Emelie Karlsson and Jemma Wilson.
It was the same scenario in the J1 Class, with the Round 5 winners switching places to land Josh Brierley (Kawasaki) in the lead ahead of Mitch Brierley (Kawasaki) and Zane Temperley (Yamaha). Dylan Heaton (KTM) strengthened his hold on the J2 Class, outpacing Will Ruprecht (Suzuki MX1 Australia) and Stuart Holt.
Nic Tomlinson (KTM) commandeered the J3 Class from Tom Mason (KTM) and Jacob Peacock (Suzuki, while Todd Barry (KTM) took home the goods in the J4 Class ahead of Peter-Daniel Allan (Yamaha) and Isaac Richardson (Suzuki).
E1 Class leader Daniel Milner, who leaves Goanna Tracks sitting second on the Outright leaderboard, is pleased with his showing at Coonabarabran and in the Series to date.
“I feel like I’m getting better and better and getting more confident since the first round, I started off with third and then went a fifth and gradually working up,” Milner said.
“Every race it just keeps coming and I’m just practicing and getting better and better. I think I beat Toby [Price] in couple of tests there today and I was stoked with it – he’ definitely a hard man to beat.”
Price, who recently arrived home after taking on a number of events in the US, is happy with his performance over the weekend and looking forward to the rest of the Series.
“The weekend was really good, round five and six all done, and I got a couple of wins so the bike is handling well and I’m loving the KTM 500,” Price said.
“We’re at the halfway point of the Series at the moment and the first half has been great so far and we’re keeping on track and looking forward to the second.”
The 2012 AORC now heads to Broadford in Victoria for Rounds 7 and 8 of the Series on 19-20 May.
Round 5
E1
Daniel Milner (Ballard’s Yamaha Off-Road)
Josh Green (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube)
Ben Burrell (Motorex KTM Off-Road)
E2
Matt Phillips (Ballard’s Yamaha Off-Road)
Glenn Kearney (Husqvarna Racing Team)
Jarrod Bewley (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube)
E3
Toby Price (Motorex KTM Off-Road)
Stefan Merriman (Ballard’s Yamaha Off-Road)
Scott Keegan (Motorex Force Husaberg)
Outright Top Ten
Toby Price (Motorex KTM Off-Road)
Daniel Milner (Ballard’s Yamaha Off-Road)
Matt Phillips (Ballard’s Yamaha Off-Road)
Glenn Kearney (Husqvarna Racing Team)
Josh Green (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube)
Jarrod Bewley (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube)
Ben Burrell (Motorex KTM Off-Road)
Stefan Merriman (Ballard’s Yamaha Off-Road)
Tom McCormack (Yamaha)
Stefan Granquist (Yamaha)
– Saturday Report
Round five of the 2012 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) played out at Coonabarabran’s Goanna Track Complex today, with a morning of drizzle giving way to a dry afternoon of furious and dusty sprint action.
Daniel Milner (Ballard’s Yamaha Off-Road) continued his clean sweep of the E1 Class, coming home after a thundering seven-heat battle ahead of Ben Burrell (Motorex KTM Off-Road) and Josh Green (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube).
Milner’s teammate Matt Phillips once again clocked up the top spot in the E2 Class, snaring the win from Glenn Kearney (Husqvarna Racing Team) and Jarrod Bewley (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube).
Toby Price (Motorex KTM Off-Road) continued his dominance of the E3 Class, locking in his fifth straight round win from Stefan Merriman (Ballard’s Yamaha Off-Road) and Mitch Bowen (Husaberg).
Price also collected Outright honours for the day, taking four of the day’s seven heats to top the ladder ahead of Milner, Phillips, Kearney and Burrell, and consolidating his hold on the Outright Series lead.
Damian Smith (Husqvarna) once again led the Veterans Class, finishing the day in front of Yamaha pilots Mark Woolley and Craig Wease. Trent Lean (Suzuki MX1 Australia) collected the Masters Class honours in front of Ian Jenner (Husaberg) and Robert Day (Yamaha).
The Womens Class saw Yamaha riders Jess Gardiner, Jemma Wilson and Emilie Karlsson take the three podium positions after a day of close heats.
Todd Barry (KTM) snared the J4 triumph from Peter-Daniel Allan (Yamaha) and Isaac Richardson (Suzuki), while Tom Mason (KTM) recorded his fourth straight victory in the J3 Class, followed over the line by Nic Tomlinson (KTM) and Jacob Peacock (Suzuki).
Dylan Heaton (KTM) put in a standout performance to secure his third J2 Class win for the year, taking the trophy from Will Ruprecht (Suzuki MX1 Australia) and Shay McKerlie (Honda), while Mitchell Brierley (Kawasaki) took his second J1 victory of the Series to finish in front of Joshua Brierley (Kawasaki) and Zane Temperley (Yamaha).
The AORC will continue tomorrow in Coonabarabran with another day of sprints, before heading to Broadford, Victoria for Rounds 7 and 8 in May.
For all the latest news, pictures and video from the 2012 Yamaha AORC, make sure to visit the Official Series website and Facebook page.
Round 5
E1
Daniel Milner (Ballard’s Yamaha Off-Road)
Ben Burrell (Motorex KTM Off-Road)
Josh Green (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube)
E2
Matt Phillips (Ballard’s Yamaha Off-Road)
Glenn Kearney (Husqvarna Racing Team)
Jarrod Bewley (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube)
E3
Toby Price (Motorex KTM Off-Road)
Stefan Merriman (Ballard’s Yamaha Off-Road)
Mitch Bowen (Husaberg)
Outright Top Ten
Toby Price (Motorex KTM Off-Road)
Daniel Milner (Ballard’s Yamaha Off-Road)
Matt Phillips (Ballard’s Yamaha Off-Road)
Glenn Kearney (Husqvarna Racing Team)
Ben Burrell (Motorex KTM Off-Road)
Josh Green (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube)
Jarrod Bewley (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube)
Chris Hollis (Motorex KTM Off-Road)
Stefan Merriman (Ballard’s Yamaha Off-Road)
Luka Bussa (Husqvarna Racing Team)
– Yamaha Report
Seven of the Outright top-10 positions went to riders on Yamaha machines today at round six of the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC), held at Coonabarabran (NSW).
And the Outright wasn’t the only place the boys in blue took charge. Two of the three premier championship class wins again went to Daniel Milner (YZ250F) and Matt Phillips (WR450F).
Milner, from Lang Lang (VIC) claimed his sixth consecutive win in the Championship E1 Class.
The 20-year-old, who rides a YZ250F for the Ballard’s Yamaha Park and Fly Off-Road Team, finished second Outright both days. Phillips came third on his WR450F.
“I started off a little rough in the morning on Saturday,” Milner said. “But I got into the groove.
“The whole weekend I think I had one crash and a few silly mistakes; I over shot a couple corners and hit a couple of trees, but nothing too bad.
“The event was good, they put a lot of effort into the track, which got really rough. But everyone was there helping to sort the track out, so it was enjoyable.
“The little YZ250F didn’t miss a beat all weekend. One of the tests on Saturday was really tight, so it worked to my favour.
“I was loving it.”
Milner said he was looking forward to rounds seven and eight of the Yamaha AORC, being held in his home state on May 19th and 20th.
Milner’s teammate and big-bore WR450F pilot, Stefan Merriman, also had a successful weekend, taking home third both days.
In the Outright, Merriman finished eighth, while fellow Yamaha riders Josh Green and Jarrod Bewley claimed fifth and sixth respectively.
Byron Bay rider Tom McCormack finished ninth Outright on his YZ250F. Stefan Granquist rounded out the top-10 on his WR450F.
